CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Limes
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People felt safe and there were enough staff to meet their needs. Risks, medicines, fire safety, equipment and infection control were monitored and managed.
- Effective?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was used to calculate the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was used to calculate the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was used to calculate the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had effective quality checks, action plans and an open culture. People, relatives and staff were encouraged to give their views.
What inspectors found, November 2023
The Limes was rated Good overall; inspectors found people felt safe, medicines were managed well and the home was well-led.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 2 November 2023. One inspector spoke with three people and four staff. They looked at care plans, medicines records, staff training, health and safety records and how the home was managed.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, regularly reviewed risk plans and trained staff who gave medicines safely. The home was clean, equipment was maintained and accidents were reviewed so lessons could be learned.
People's views were encouraged. Inspectors found that people and their representatives were involved in care planning, and that staff worked with health and social care professionals. The overall rating stayed Good, but this visit only assessed Safe and Well-led. The other ratings were carried over from the previous inspection.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt safe with the staff. Staff understood how to recognise and report abuse.
“People felt safe living at the home and with the staff who supported them.” from the report
Good understanding of people
A small, consistent staff team knew people well and had information about their health and support needs.
“People were supported by a small and consistent staff team who knew them well.” from the report
Safe medicines support
Staff were trained and checked as competent to give medicines. Records showed medicines received, given and returned to the pharmacy.
“People were supported with their medicines by staff who were trained and competent to carry out the role.” from the report
People's views mattered
People were involved in meetings, care planning and reviews. Relatives' recent feedback was also positive.
“People told us their views were encouraged and valued on a daily basis and through regular meetings.” from the report
Progress towards independence
Inspectors found examples of people improving their confidence, mood and independence, including one person moving towards more independent living.
“Another person had improved so much they had achieved their goal and were moving into more independent living in the community.” from the report
Quality checks and learning
The provider used audits, checks and action plans to monitor the service and address shortfalls. Accidents and incidents were reviewed for learning.
“Effective systems were in place to monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service provided.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you assess and review my relative's specific risks and support needs?
- 02How will you make sure staff supporting my relative remain competent to give their medicines?
- 03How will my relative be involved in planning and reviewing their care?
- 04What support would my relative receive to maintain or improve their independence?
- 05How would you involve us and other health or social care professionals if my relative's needs changed?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other ratings were carried over from the previous inspection published in 2017. This explanation was written from the published report of 24 November 2023 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
What inspectors found, November 2017
The Limes rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, but complaint records were not always complete.
This was an unannounced inspection on 2 October 2017. One inspector spoke with people living in the home, a relative, care staff and managers. The inspector also reviewed care records, medicines records and quality checks.
The home supported up to six people with an acquired brain injury. Three people were living there on the inspection day. Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, safeguarding arrangements and safe medicines support.
People received care suited to their needs. Staff supported people with meals, healthcare, mobility, activities and contact with relatives. Inspectors found staff kind and respectful, and saw that people were involved in their care planning.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. The main weakness was that complaints and concerns were dealt with but were not always recorded well enough to show what action had been taken or identify trends.
Enough staff
Inspectors found sufficient staffing and contingency arrangements, including agency cover and an on-call manager when needed.
“The provider had contingency plans in place to maintain good staffing levels.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff understood people's needs and supported their privacy, dignity and independence.
“People were cared for and supported by staff who were kind and sympathetic to their needs.” from the report
Personalised activities
People were supported to follow their interests, maintain their routines and take part in activities outside the home.
“This showed that staff took an interest in what people wanted to do and supported them to do the things they enjoyed.” from the report
Support with health
The home worked with relevant healthcare professionals, including physiotherapy and speech and language therapy, to support people's health and progress.
“This showed that people were supported to access healthcare services to maintain their physical and mental health.” from the report
Complaint records
needs fixingThe home responded to complaints and concerns, but did not always recognise information shared with it as complaints. Records did not show clearly what action had been taken or allow proper monitoring for trends.
“However, these were not recorded to enable the provider to monitor them for trends or to show what action had been taken to resolve them.” from the report
- 01How do you now record and monitor every complaint or concern, including informal comments?
- 02What happens if there is a staffing shortage, and how often is agency staff used?
- 03How will you make sure each person receives the correct food texture and support to reduce choking risks?
- 04How are people and their relatives involved in regular care plan reviews and decisions about activities?
- 05Which people currently have a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards authorisation, and how are those arrangements reviewed?
This was an unannounced inspection of the overall service and covered all five questions used for the ratings. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 November 2017 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of The Limes
3 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 18 January 2011.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
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How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Telford and Wrekin
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £980 to £1,200 a week. 88 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Knowing Mum was in Corina's care made an enormous difference to us and we knew she was in safe hands.”
“I have never met a person who is so kind and thinks about others before himself to such an extent as Chris Malagala.”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.